Broiler for shish kebab



NOV. 21, 1961 w, J, MURPHY 3,009,410

BROILER FOR SHISI-I KEBAB Filed May 1, 1959 5 sheets-Sheet 1y Fig. 2

f 40 Wil/ard J. Murphy 2 i l INVENTOR.

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Nov. 21, 1961 w. J. MURPHY 3,009,410

BROILER FOR sHIsI-I KEBAB Filed May 1, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wil/ard J. Murphy l//\90 l, INVENTOR. yf ////i ad W Nov. 21, 1961 w. J. MURPHY BROILER FOR SHISH KEBAB 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May l, 1959 Wfl/ard J. Murphy INVENTOR.

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3,009,410 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 hcc 3,009,410 BROILER FOR SHISH KEBAB Willard J. Murphy, 605 E. Harvey St., Ely, Minn. Filed May 1, 1959, Ser. No. 810,319 13 Claims. (Cl. 99-421) This invention comprises a novel and useful broiler for shish kebab and more particularly pertains to a broiler having a plurality of vertically disposed spits surrounding a central re pot.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a broiler which .shall be especially adapted to the broiling of shish kebab and similar foods.

A further object of the invention Iis to provide a broiler having a centrally disposed vertically extending fire pot together with means for supporting in rotationally adjusted positions thereabout a plurality of vertically extending spits or skewers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a broiler in accordance with the preceding objects wherein the spits may be rotated either manually or by automatic means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a broiler as set forth in the foregoing objects which shall include improved means for rotationally supporting the lower ends of the spits or skewers in a manner which will tend to maintain the skewer in a rotationally adjusted position; and will prevent the ingress of grease or foreign matter into the means which rotationally supports and positions the lower end of the skewers.

Yet another `object of the linvention is to provide a broiler as set -forth in the immediately preceding objects which shall permit ready engagement or disengagement of the upper ends of the skewers from a support means and yet which will prevent accidental disengagement of the upper ends of the skewers therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a broiler in accordance with the hereinbefore set forth objects which shall include an improved construction of a tire pot especially adapted for the use of charcoal as a fuel and which will facilitate ready ignition of the fuel therein.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings vforming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view showing a preferred construction of a broiler in which the skewers are manually rotated;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View of the arrangement of FIGURE l, the skewers being omitted therefrom;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a detail view taken on an enlarged scale and showing in plan a portion of the upper holding means for the skewers;

yFIGURE 5 is a detail view in vertical transverse section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the' FIGURE 8 is a View similar to FIGURE 7 but showing a slightly modified construction of the gearing assembly for effecting rotation of the skewers;

FIGURE 9 is a detail View taken upon a considerably enlarged scale and shown in vertical section the rotatable support means for the lower end of a skewer in accordance with the embodiments of either FIGURES 7 or 8;

FIGURE l0 is a detail View taken upon an enlarged scale and in plan of a modified form of support means for securing the upper ends of the rotatable skewers; and

FIGURE l1 is a detail view showing in side elevation the support means of FIGURE l0 indicating in dotted lines the manner in which a skewer is inserted therein and is retained in vertical position therein.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated both a manually operated and a power operated apparatus for effecting rotation of the skewers. Attention is directed first to FIGURES 1-5, primarily, for understanding of the manually operated form of the invention, which is a mechanically simpler form of construction.

In this embodiment, the numeral 10 designates generally a plate-like element comprising a base having supporting legs 12 thereon and upon which is supported the vertically extending tire pot 14. The latter is preferably of conical construction with its larger end being at the top and its end of the smaller diameter being disposed upon the base 10. The tire pot is of a grid-like screen or reticulated character and is adapated to be lled with a combustible, such as charcoal, coal or the like, in such a manner that the heat therefrom may be radiated outwardly from the re pot throughout its entire vertical extent.

At its lower end, the lire pot 14 lis preferably enclosed in and seated in and has secured thereto a cup 16. This cup serves the dual functions of stiiening and supporting the lower end of the reticulated construction of the lire pot, acts as a means to support and secure the lower end of the re pot to the base 10, and also acts as a receptacle to receive a liquid 'for initiating combustion of the fuel in the fire pot. v

Secured in any suitable manner to the Ibase 10 is a circular disk or plate-like member 20 which comprises a lower support means. This member is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending projections 22, each of which is provided with a well 24 in its upper surface. This Well is preferably not circular in cross-section, and as shown in square in order that it may receive the complementary shaped non-circular pointed lower extremity 26 of a skewer 28 having a handle 30 on the upper end thereof. The arrangement is such that the po-inted lower end 26 may be received in the well 24 and then will be held in a rotationally adjusted position, regardless of the center of gravity of meat products which are mounted upon the skewer. yIn order to rotate the skewer it is merely necessary to lift the same slightly by the handle 30, which will disengage the pointed lower end 26 from the wells 24 and enable the desired rotation to be effected. Thereupon the skewer may be lowered and the cornplementary non-circular cross-sections of the skewer point 26 and of the well 24 will retain the skewer in the rotationally adjusted position.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the projections 22 are disposed in circumferentially spaced relation about the lower end of the tire pot 14. The projection may be formed in two or more rows as desired or in some instances may consist of a Single row. Preferably the skewers are disposed in a position which is substantially parallel to the outside surface of the lfire pot 14 so that the material thereon may be held an even distance from the re pot during the broiling of the same by the latter.

An upper support means 30 is mounted upon and surrounds the upper portion of the lire pot. As shown in 3 FIGURE 2, this upper support includes a plurality of outwardly projecting fiat plate-like arms as at 32 which extend tangentially with respect to the upper periphery of the tire pot. Each of these arm is provided with holders for supporting the upper end of the skewers 23.

As shown in FIGURE 2, these holders comprise a plurality of slots 34 which open from one side edge of the arm into a central portion of the same, and which terminate in relatively enlarged openings 36 which are of greater width than the width of the slots. The openings 36 are of sutlicient size to receive the shank of the skewer 23 when the latter is in a substantially vertical position as shown in FIGURE l, and will readily permit rotation of the skewer when in this position. Although FIGURE 2 shows the slots disposed on only one edge of each of the arms, it is evident that they be provided on both edges if desired.

Referring now especially to FIGURES 4 and 5 it will be observed that the slots 34 of the arms 32 of their adjacent edges of lips incline with respect to the planes of the arm in opposite directions and in parallel relation. Thus, one lip or edge of the slot as at 38 is inclined upwardly, while the opposite edge is inclined downwardly as at 4t). The width between these lips or edges is such that as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 5, the shaft of the skewer 28 may be passed through the slot when tilted as suggested at 42, but will be prevented from passing therethrough when disposed in a vertical position as indicated at 44. In this latter position, of course, the skewer will be rotatably journalled in the previously mentioned openings 36.

In some instances, the upper support 30 may be integrally formed with the material from which the reticulated tire pot 14 is constructed. In other instances, it may be separately formed and separately attached thereto.

It should be observed that in this construction, the lower holding means Ztl will be secured in any desired manner detachably to be base 14). An important function of the projections 22 on the lower holding means is that by being raised above the surface of the plate-like element 20, they prevent grease and drippings from the articles carried by the spits or skewers 28 from running into the wells and clogging the same.

Reference is next made to the construction shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. In this form of construction, the same lire pot 14 and cap 16 as previously described is provided. However, in this instance it is preferred to replace the base and the lower support means 20 with the modified construction to be now described. In this instance, the lire box and cap 16 are secured to and mounted upon a base 50 in the form of an inverted cup. Depending side walls 52 serve both to support the base and the tire box carried thereby and to provide an enclosure or chamber as at 54 for housing the power operating means by which rotation is imparted to the skewers.

The skewers in this embodiment are detachably supported by and are rotated by members 56. Each of the members 56 comprises a spindle 58 which is rotatably journalled between a pair of upper and lower mounting plates 60 and 62, the latter in turn being secured to support brackets 64 carried by the inside surface of the depending side wall 52 of the base and within the chamber 54 thereof. The lower ends of each of the spindles 58 is provided with a driven gear 66, see 'FIGURE 7, which is in direct contact with a central driving gear 68, secured to an axle or shaft 70 and suitably connected to a driving means such as electric motor 72 supported by a bracket 74 in the chamber 54. It will thus be seen that the motor serves to simultaneously drive all of the members 56 through the gearing construction shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.

Where the spindles pass upwardly through the base 50, the latter is provided with conical upward projections as at 76 and the spindles themselves have inverted coneshaped shields or deliectors as at 78 which overlie these projections. The shields serve to prevent the passage of 1. grease and the like from running down the skewers and into the chamber below the base. Wells S0 are provided in the upper ends of the spindles 58 and perform the same functions and are of the same construction as the wells 24 in the preceding embodiment.

It will be understood that in this form of the invention the same upper support means is provided as that previously described. In this embodiment the motor 72 serves to simultaneously impart rotation to all of the skewers. Any individual skewer may be rotationally adjusted with respect to the others by simply lifting the lower end of the skewer 26 to permit its disengagement from the well Si) and then lower the same to lock it in its rotationally adjusted position. It will be understood that the upper support means previously described is provided whereby the upper ends of the skewers will be held in properly positioned arrangement about the fire pot 14 for rotation either by the power means 72 or manually as desired.

Shown in FIGURES 10 and l1 is a somewhat modified form of the upper support means. ln this form an arm or a portion 82 of the upper support means is provided with the enlarged opening 84 for receiving and rotatably supporting the upper end of a skewer, and a slot 86 opens from the edge of this arm into this opening. However, as shown in FIGURE ll, one edge only, such as the edge 88 of the slot is tilted either upwardly or downwardly so that a skewer as shown in dotted lines at 90 may pass through the slot only when titled, while in the erect position, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE ll, the skewer as at 92 will be held in the opening 84 and prevented from passage through the slot.

It will be understood that the modified construction of the upper holding means of the upper support means may be employed with either of the modifications of FIGURES 1-3 or that of FIGURES 6 and 7, or even with the further modification shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 to be now described.

FIGURES 8 and 9 disclose a modified gearing assembly which may be utilized in place of that shown in FIG- URES 6 and 7. `In this construction, the same form of base 50 is employed as that previously described, and the gearing assembly is mounted between the upper and lower support plates 60 and 62, the latter being carried by the brackets 64 all as shown in FIGURE 6, and adapted to be operated by the electric motor 72 mounted within the chamber 54. However, in this embodiment the driving gear 68 previously described is omitted, and each of the driven gears 66 to which the spindles S8 are secured are directly connected to each other, with the driving motor 72 being connected to one of these gears, in any suitable manner, not shown. This construction therefore possesses the advantage that a somewhat simpler driving means is employed which eliminates the driving gear 68, but which maintains a direct driving and timing connection of the various spindles with respect to each other.

As in the preceding embodiment the top wall of the base 50 is likewise provided with the conical upstanding projections 76 through which the spindle 58 extends, and the spindle itself is provided with the inverted conical shield or guard 78 overlying the projections 76 and for the same purpose.

The operation of this form of unit is identical to that previously described.

It will be observed that by this invention a number 0f important advantages in a broiling device are obtained. By this invention and the vertically extending lire box 14, the most elective use of the tool is utilized since all of the spits or skewers closely surround the same and thus utilize substantially all of the heat radiated by the fire box. Further, by the vertical disposition of the skewers, the juice from the meats and articles broiled thereon, dropping downwardly, will impart additional avor to the food articles on the skewer therebeneath. Still further, all of the grease which may drop from the skewer upon the base is prevented by the projections and wells therein from entering the wells, thus insuring increased life and effectiveness for the latter.

In the preceding description, and in the drawings, the source of heat has been disclosed as a frcpot containing coal and the like. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention comprehends and embraces in its scope other types of heating sources. In some instances, it may be preferred to employ such heating sources or means as gas, electric heating, infra-red heating and the like in place of the repot specifically disclosed, the rest of the apparatus remaining unaltered.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A food cooking apparatus, comprising a base, an upright re pot having a foraminous wall `adapted to oontain a solid combustible fuel, said wall having a generally frusto conical shape and having a larger open end disposed upwardly and a smaller lower end supported by the base, a plurality of lower skewer supporting means associated with the base and disposed around and spaced from said smaller lower end, upper support means extending radially outwardly from the upper portion of the wall and having ya plurality of laterally opening skewer receiving recesses disposed around and spaced from said larger open end, an abutment borde-ring each recess, and a plurality of skewers circumferentially disposed around the re pot, the lower end of each skewer being removably engaged with and held against downward displacement by one of said lower skewer supporting means and the portion of each skewer below its upper end being disposed within one of said skewer receiving recesses and bearing by gravity against the abutment bordering said recess to prevent outward displacement of said skewers and the axes of the skewers sloping upwardly and outwardly and being substantially equidistant from said wall for the length thereof.

2. The structure of claim 4l in which the base is provided with yart imperforate cup supporting and enclosing the entire lower end of the fire pot, said cup adapted to retain the excess combustion uid which is applied to the fuel for igniting the same.

3. A .food cooking apparatus, comprising a base, an upright re pot having a foraminous wall adapted to contain a solid combustible fuel, said wall having a generally frusto conical shape and having a larger open end disposed upwardly and la smaller lower end supported by the base, a plurality of sockets associated with the base and disposed around land spaced from said smaller lower end, upper support means extending radially outward fromthe upper portion of the wall and having a plurality of later"- ally opening skewer receiving recesses disposed around and spaced from said larger open end, an abutment bordering each recess, and a plurality of skewers circumferentially disposed around the fire pot, the lower end of each skewer being removably engaged with and held against downward displacement by one of said sockets and the portion of each skewer below its upper end being disposed within one of said skewer receiving recesses and bearing by gravity against the abutment bordering said recess to prevent outward displacement 'of said skewers and the axis of each skewer being disposed at an acute angle with respect to a vertical axis passing through the respective socket, said base having a downwardly sloping surface adjacent said socket for draining grease and food drippings away from said sockets.

4. The structure of claim 3 and including means associated with each socket for preventing relative rotation between the skewer and said socket.

5. The structure of claim 3 and including an insulating handle disposed on the upper end portion of each skewer and located upwardly of said upper support means.

6. A food cooking apparatus, comprising a base, an upright iire pot having a foraminous wall adapted to contain a solid combustible fuel, said wall having a generally frusto conical shape and having a larger open end vdisposed upwardly and a smaller lower end supported by the base, a plurality of rotatable spindles journaled within the base with the upper end of each spindle being disposed to removably engage the lower end of a skewer, upper support means extending radially outward from the upper portion of the wall and having a plurality of laterally opening skewer receiving recesses disposed around and spaced from said larger open end, an abutment bordering each recess, a plurality of skewers circumferentially dis posed around the re pot, the lower end of each skewer being removably engaged with and held against downward displacement by one of said spindles and the portion of each skewer below its upper end being disposed within one of said skewer receiving recesses and bearing by gravity against the abutment bordering said recess -to prevent outward displacement of said skewers and the axes of the skewers sloping upwardly and outwardly and being substantially equidistant from said wall for the lengt-h thereof, and drive means disposed beneath the base and connected to the lower end of each spindle for rotating the spindles and thereby rotating each skewer about the axis Ithereof.

7. The structure of claim 6 and including a drip guard secured to each spindle above the base and having a portion extending downwardly and outwardly from said spindle to thereby decct grease and other food drippings radially outward from said opening in the base to thereby prevent said grease and food drippings from contacting the drive means.

8. A food cooking apparatus, comprising a base, a heating unit mounted on the base, lower support means associated with the base and disposed around and 4spaced from the lower end of the heating unit, an upper heat defleoting and supporting member extending radially outward from the upper portion of said heating unit, said upper member having a plurality of laterally outwardly opening offset skewer receiving recesses disposed around and spaced from said heating unit, said offset forming abutment means bordering each recess for holding skewers from displacement outwardly of said heating unit during cooking, a plurality of skewers circumferentially disposed around the heating unit, the lower end of each skewer being removably seated in and upwardly supported by said lower support means, a portion of each skewer below its upper end being disposed within one of said skewer receiving recesses and engaged by said abutment means to prevent outward displacement of each skewer, and a handle on the upper end of each skewer and located above said upper heat deecting and supporting member whereby said skewers may be grasped by said handles and readily removed from said cooking apparatus in a direction radial of said heating unit.

9. A food cooking apparatus, comprising a base provided with an imperforate cup for holding ignition fuel and also providing a support for the lower end of a fire pot, said base having a plurality of skewer end receiving and supporting openings disposed around and spaced from said cup, an upright fire pot having an encircling foraminous wall adapted to contain a solid combustible fuel and to permit heat to be radiated directly from the fuel through said wall, said pot being open at its opposite ends, its lower end being in juxtaposition with and closed by said cup, the lower end of said wall being supported by said cup, an upper heat dellecting and supporting member extending radially outward from the upper portion of said wall, said upper -member having a plurality of laterally opening skewer receiving recesses disposed around and spaced `from said wall, abutment means bordering each recess for holding skewers from displace ment outwardly of said fire pot wall during cooking, a plurality of skewers circumferentially disposed around said lire pot, the lower end of each skewer being removably seated in and upwardly supported by one of said skewer end receiving and supporting openings, a portion of each skewer substantially below its upper end being disposed within one of said skewer receiving recesses and engaged by said abutment means to prevent radially outward displacement of said skewers, and a handle on the upper end of each skewer above said upper heat delecting and supporting member whereby said skewers may be grasped by said handles and readily removed from said cooking apparatus in a direction radial of said re pot.

10. The structure of claim 9, in which the base is provided with a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface surrounding the lower end of the re pot with at least a portion of said sloping surface being disposed radially outward of the openings in said base to thereby drain grease and food drippings outwardly along said sloping surface,

11. A food cooking apparatus, comprising a base, a heating unit mounted on `the base, lower support means associated with the base and disposed around and spaced from the lower end of the heating unit, an upper skewer supporting member extending laterally outwardly from the upper portion of said heating unit and having a peripheral edge extending therearound, said peripheral edge having a plurality of spaced laterally opening skewer receiving recesses disposed around and spaced from said heating unit, an abutment bordering each recess, a plurality of skewers adapted to hold the food to be cooked and circumferentially disposed around the heating unit with the axis of each skewer being disposed at an acute angle to the vertical axis of the heating unit, the lower end of each skewer being removably engaged with and held against downward movement by said lower support means and a portion of each skewer below its upper end being disposed within one of the skewer receiving recesses and engaged with said abutment to prevent laterally outward displacement of each skewer, and means disposed on the upper end of each skewer and located above said upper supporting member for grasping said skewer and removing the skewer from the cooking apparatus in a direction lateral of the vertical axis of said heating unit.

12. The structure of claim 11 and including drive means located beneath the base and operatively connected to the lower end of each skewer for rotating each skewer about the axis thereof.

13. A food cooking apparatus, comprising a base, a

heating unit mounted on the base, lower support means associated with the base and disposed around and spaced from the lower end of the heating unit, an upper heat deflecting and supporting member extending radially outward from the upper portion of said heating unit, said upper support member having a plurality of slots extending from the peripheral edge into the interior thereof and terminating in an enlarged opening of greater width than said slot, the material of the upper support member bordering opposite edges of the slot being bent in opposite directions through an angle less than and disposed in parallel relation and being spaced so that a skewer when inclined may slide therethrough into said opening and the skewer when in an upright position will bear against the inclined edges and will be retained in said opening, a plurality of skewers circumferentially disposed around the heating unit, the lower end of each skewer being removably seated in and upwardly supported by said lower support means, a portion of each skewer below its upper end being disposed within one of said openings and bearing against the inclined edges to prevent outward displacement of each skewer, and a handle on the upper end of each skewer and located above said upper heat deecting and supporting member whereby said skewers may be grasped by said handles and readily removed from said cooking apparatus in a direction radial of said heating unit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,339 Ladd Mar. 2, 1875 976,364 Hoffman Nov. 22, 1910 1,018,116 Kowalski Feb. 20, 1912 1,040,916 Fell Oct. 8, 1912 1,482,586 Skinner Feb. 5, 1924 1,612,252 Beverly Dec. 28, 1926 1,819,301 Noble Aug. 18, 1931 1,934,339 Winberg Nov. 7, 1933 2,154,165 Huntington Apr. 11, 1939 2,687,080 Dorin Aug. 24, 1954 2,734,499 Lombardi Feb. 14, 1956 2,814,982 Labin Dec. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,530 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1875 42,759 Germany Sept. 21, 1887 427,177 Great Britain Apr. 15, 1935 1,099,294 France Mar. 16, 1955 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No., 3,009,410 November 2l, 1961 Willard Je Murphy It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

I Column 3, line 4, for "ermv'. reed arms. 5 column l, line 29, for v'titled'H read tilted --0 signed and sealed lthis lnhssy of July 196,2

(SEAL) Attest:

lERNEST w. swmla- DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

